I pulled a card tonight from one of my cameras. That camera has produced over 4000 pictures in a month and the camera said the batteries were at 89%. Very impressed with these cameras.
October 10 pm South wind 5mph 80 degrees Hot Partly cloudy A couple groups of does moving and that's it tonight. Colder temps on the way. Pulled a card on my way out. We shall see what thats seeing. Sent from my XT1585 using Lake Ontario United mobile app
I don't have a whole lot of faith in the deer cast predictions but I thought I would share anyways Sent from my XT1585 using Lake Ontario United mobile app
Quite possibly the hottest day I have ever been on stand. Mid 80s here today. When I pulled in my truck said it was 80. Been working too damn much to get any stand time up until today. Fingers crossed. Wind is perfect.
After this mornings nagging rain I am Back on stand the evening. Once again, not exactly where I want to be but I am hunting. Probably my lower impact stand on the property but really the only one that works with this NE wind. It's cool, light wind, and overcast... Seems like a perfect night for early October. Sent from my XT1585 using Lake Ontario United mobile app
October 6 am East wind 5-10 Cloudy becoming thunderstorms Uneventful morning for the most part. Small doe about 815 and a small buck about 830. Snuck out of the stand shortly after that to avoid the heavy rain. Sent from my XT1585 using Lake Ontario United mobile app
October 5 pm NE wind 5-15 59 degrees Partly cloudy Late report from last night... Not a very eventful evening. I saw some deer but all in the distance along with a few on the walk out. Mostly does but I can confirm one small buck. Eastern winds are keeping me from the spots I want to be in. Sent from my XT1585 using Lake Ontario United mobile app
Got home from work at 4 and in the tree by 5. Not the stand I want to be in but it's the one that works with this wind. Sent from my XT1585 using Lake Ontario United mobile app
October 4 pm Well a rising barometer and falling temps should equal a good night in the tree right? I was beginning to question it until I had a decent 2.5 yo buck emerge from the bedding area along with a few does. After a quick look I grabbed the bow but I quickly realized he wasn't one that I was after. I watched him make his way to the corn field, scanned the trail he walked out, and out walks "curley". He's standing in the thick stuff 35 yards away. He never gives me a clean shot. 27 yards through the tree in my picture was the only opportunity. The stand was hung as a gun stand and tonight might prove the need to move it. He's gonna make a fatal mistake... Just after 7 I'm planning my escape route from the stand just and just like that a single doe walks out into the field. A 1.5 yo buck sneaks up from behind me and chases he off. He's about 50 yards to start and feeds in my direction. I lower my bow down and it makes some noise on the ground. This grabs the Bucks attention and he makes his way closer. I have my backpack on and I'm making my way down the ladder and the buck just keeps coming. I shake the bow rope again and this young curious buck comes to the base of the tree. I shake the bow one last time and that is enough to finally startle him and he slowly walks away. I think I made it back to the truck at 745 trying to escape the tree tonight. Sent from my XT1585 using Lake Ontario United mobile app
I had a different stand in mind tonight also but the wind had other ideas. It's forcasted as NW but it is a bit more west than it is north here. The wind is calming down nicely. Sent from my XT1585 using Lake Ontario United mobile app
Back on stand for the pm. The rain in the morning kept me grounded as I'm sure it did for most of you guys. High pressure is rolling in and the wind is slowing down a bit. Temp has dropped about ten degrees from the morning high. A bit warm in the sun and a bit breezy but tuck in a perfect spot for the conditions. Sent from my XT1585 using Lake Ontario United mobile app
No one would ever be foolish enough to argue the benefits of low impact hunting or the quality hunts vs quantity. We should all be invested students of both of these practices already. But that is a whole other discussion. My point was only to encourage everyone to go after those deer they have patterned. Early season is a great time for that (late season also). I have had a couple conversations as of late with guys stating they were waiting for "the rut" to go after "their" bucks. I asked them why they were waiting... The buck you are after is showing himself during the daylight and your not hunting him??? Neither really had an answer.
Most guys I know would kill for 20 days in the field let alone 30,40,50. There is nothing wrong with picking your days but so many pass on hunting in the early season even if they have the opportunity. The season goes fast. Get out and hunt!
My take on the early season...Get out and hunt.
If you have a big buck on camera right now and think you may have him patterned then the time to kill him is now. I feel most people are reluctant to hunt big bucks until the rut but don't wait for the rut. The rut can be amazing. But... the rut takes us into some level of chaos. Right now is time to kill a patterned deer. That deer wont be easy to pattern during the rut like he might be now. I am not encouraging you to hunt your best rut stands for the sake of hunting. I'm talking hunting patterned bucks. I know a couple of hunters that thrive on this way of thought. Their goal is to be tagged out in October and they have done it many times. They diligently hunt single bucks. Their cameras go out May or June and they hunt with their cameras. The targets are bucks they know are in the area. They scout and try to pinpoint what that buck might be doing, they hang a stand and attempt to kill him. Look, if other spots are not showing you the bucks you want to see then you should probably stay out of there until "the time is right". But a big buck showing up in the daylight in early season is a very killable deer. I have a stand that is proving to be one of those spots. I have had 8 daylight camera visits (5 in the am and 3 in the pm). My plan is sit in this set every time the wind is right until the camera shows me otherwise.
The other way to look at this is... Time has a huge influence on success and putting time on stand is going to help your chances. Think of two charter captains with equal skill set. Captain "a" puts in twice the amount of time as captain "b". At the end of the season, chance are, captain "a" catches more fish. I know it is not quite that simple but as long as we adapt our approach to the time of year. It may create opportunity. Once again dont "ruin" your best sets. Hang an observation stand and do some scouting. Adjust accordingly. Food is plentiful and the deer are taking advantage. It is a great time to sit on food sources.
No excuses. go hunt!
October 3 PM
Plenty of deer on their feet this evening. All in the last hour or so before dusk. 5 Does/ fawns and 4-6 small bucks. All with one thing on their mind... Food!